Method and apparatus for constructing and connecting underwater risers

ABSTRACT

An improved method and apparatus for constructing an underwater riser from a support member, the constructed riser being formed from a plurality of interconnected riser-sections, and for moving the lowermost end of the constructed riser into an interconnecting relationship with one end of an underwater pipeline, wherein one end of each riser-section is rigidly supported by a riser support assembly, in one position of each riser-section and in a support position of the riser support assembly, and another riser-section is positioned in a connecting relationship with respect to the riser-section being supported in the riser support assembly by a positioning assembly. In this position, the two riser-sections are secured in an interconnecting relationship. The connecting end portions of each riser-section are constructed such that two riser-sections can be quickly and guidingly positioned in an interconnecting relationship, and to facilitate a more sealingly secure interconnection therebetween. The riser-sections thus interconnected are lowered generally through the riser support assembly to a position wherein the uppermost end portion of the last connected riser-section is supported in the riser support assembly in a position to be interconnected to another risersection. A predetermined number of riser-sections are thus interconnected to form the constructed riser, and the constructed riser is then lowered to a position wherein the lowermost end thereof is aligned with one end of the underwater pipeline. The lowermost end of the constructed riser is guided into an interconnecting relationship with the end of the underwater pipeline generally aligned therewith by a guide coupling assembly which is removably secured in the underwater pipeline.

United States Patent 1191 OBrien et al.

[ Feb. 20, 1973 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING ANDCONNECTING UNDERWATER RISERS [76] Inventors: Billy L. OBrien, 1400 PineStreet; v

Heber P. OBrien, 730 East 14th Street, both of Ada, Okla. 74820 [22]Filed: March 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 121,788

[52] US. Cl. ..6l/72.3, 166/.5, 166/.6, 269/47, 285/18, 285/24 [51] Int.Cl. ..F16l 35/00, E02b 17/00, B23q H08 [58] Field of Search ....6l/72.3,72.1, 63, 43; 285/24, 285/18; 166/.5, .6

Primary Examiner-Jacob Shapiro Attorney-Dunlap, Laney, Hessin &Dougherty [5 7] ABSTRACT An improved method and apparatus forconstructing an underwater riser from a support member, the constructedriserbeing formed from a plurality of interconnected riser-sections, andfor moving the lowermost end of the constructed riser into aninterconnecting relationship with one end of an underwater pipeline,wherein one end of each riser-section is rigidly supported by a risersupport assembly, in one position of each riser-section and in a supportposition of the riser support assembly, and another riser-section ispositioned in a connecting relationship with respect to theriser-section being supported in the riser support assembly by apositioning assembly. In this position, the two riser-sections aresecured in an interconnecting relationship. The connecting end portionsof each riser-section are constructed such that two riser-sections canbe quickly and guidingly positioned in an interconnecting relationship,and to facilitate a more sealingly secure interconnection therebetween.The risersections thus interconnected are lowered generally through theriser support assembly to a position wherein the uppermost end portionof the last connected riser-section is supported in the riser supportassembly in a position to be interconnected to another riser-section. Apredetermined number of riser-sections are thus interconnected to formthe constructed riser, and the constructed riser is then lowered to aposition wherein the lowermost end thereof is aligned with one end ofthe underwater pipeline. The lowermost end of the constructed riser isguided into an interconnecting relationship with the end of theunderwater pipeline generally aligned therewith by a guide couplingassembly which is removably secured in the underwater pipeline.

3,8 Qlgims, 16 Drawing Figures 32 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORCONSTRUCTINGAND CONNECTING UNDERWATER RISERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates generally to improvements inmethods and apparatus for constructing and installing underwaterpipelines and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to amethod and apparatus for constructing an underwater riser and anunderwater pipeline to facilitate the underwater interconnectiontherebetween.

2. Description of the Prior Art Offshore marine structures, commonlyreferred to in the art simply as platforms are installed'in a marineenvironment, and are generally utilized to support structures andequipment during various offshore operations. In the past, one of themost common usages of such platforms has been with respect to theoffshore drilling and production of an oil and gas well.

In connection with such platforms, various underwater pipelines arecommonly utilized to transport a fluid to or from various remotelocations with respect to the platform. These pipelines generallyinclude an underwater pipeline, which is disposed on the waterbodyfloor, and a pipeline, which is commonly referred to in the art as ariser, vertically disposed, generally adjacent or near the offshoreplatform. The lowermost end of the riser is generally connected to oneend of the underwater pipeline, in an assembled position of the riserand underwater pipeline.

Various methods and apparatus have been proposed in the past forconstructing and installing the 'underwater pipelines and the risers,and for making the underwater connection between the riser and theunderwater pipeline. One such method utilized in the past, basicallycomprised the bending of a portion of the underwater pipeline in agenerally upward direction, the portion of the underwater pipelineextending upwardly from the bend thereby forming the pipeline riser.This particular method, although adequate for extremely small sizes ofpipe, is not of a nature that it could be successfully utilized toconstruct underwater pipelines and risers which are of a relativelylarge size, as commonly associated with the offshore production of oiland gas.

In the past, the underwater pipeline has been constructed of variouspipeline sections which were interconnected aboard a support member or,more particularly, a barge, and the interconnected pipeline sectionswere then laid on the water-body floor from the barge.

The pipeline riser was basically constructed of the plurality ofriser-sections which were also interconnected aboard the barge andstovepiped or, in other words, lowered into an interconnectingrelationship with one end of the underwater pipeline. The riser-sectionswere supported by cables generally on one side of the barge in asomewhat interconnecting relationship, and the riser-sections were thenwelded together at the interconnection therebetween while being thussupported.

Not only was this procedure, generally described above, for constructingand connecting an underwater riser hazardous with respect to the variousoperating personnel involved, but it has also been found that whenutilizing such a method it was virtually impossible to assure a good,substantially 100 percent X-ray weld,

with respect to the welded interconnections between the variousriser-sections. Although the inability to achieve an adequate weldedconnection between the various riser-sections was generally due to therelative movement of the two riser-sections being connected during thewelding or connecting procedure, it has also been found that theconstruction of the riser-sections per se made a sealingly secure,welded interconnection substantially difficult to achieve. In practice,it was the general operating procedure to secure a sufficient amount ofweld material generally about the interconnection between theriser-sections to merely assure a connection therebetween. The weldmaterial was then ground-down, and the interconnection re-welded, in aneffort to achieve a maximum security weld. It should also be noted thateven in those instances where the riser-sections were bolted togetherand a gasket interposed therebetween to provide the sealing security, ithas been found that in many instances the gasket was completely orpartially destroyed during the interconnection of the tworiser-sections, utilizing the connecting procedure, as generallydescribed above.

Since a portion of one of the riser-sections being interconnected wasgenerally partially disposed in the water-body during the connectingprocedure, it has been found that, in many instances, full crews of menand machinery were idled during a high-tide or a generally rough watercondition. Thus, not only were the procedures for constructing andinstalling underwater risers hazardous and the interconnections betweenthe various riser sections relatively unsecure, but also theseprocedures were extremely inefficient and costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide amethod and apparatus for constructing an underwater riser wherein thesealing integrity between the interconnected risersections issubstantially increased.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus forconstructing an underwater riser in a manner assuring the safety of thevarious operating personnel and which is economical in construction andoperation.

One other object of the invention is to provide-a method and apparatusfor constructing an underwater riser and connecting one end of theconstructed riser to one end of an underwater pipeline, wherein thealignment of the riser with the end of the underwater pipeline isaccomplished in a faster, more efficient and more positive manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor constructing an underwater riser wherein the required constructiontime is substantially reduced.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus for constructing an underwater riser and for connecting oneend of the constructed riser to one end of an underwater pipeline whichis economical in construction and operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guide coupling foraligning the ends of two pipelines to be interconnected in a moreefficient and positive manner.

One further object of the invention is to provide a guide coupling forguidingly aligning the ends of two pipelines to be interconnected,which'is economical in construction and operation.

One other object of thei'nvention is to provide a guide couplingapparatus to guide one end of a pipeline into an interconnectingrelationship with one end of another pipeline particularly useful ineffecting underwater connections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a risersection constructedto be economically and efficiently connected to another riser-section.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus for positioning an underwater pipeline in an interconnectingalignment with a riser in a faster, more efficient and more economicalmanner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from thefollowing detailed description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate the various embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sideelevational view of amarine support member, more particularly, a platform having a riserconstruction apparatus supported thereon for constructing a riser andfor connecting the constructed riser to one end of an underwaterpipeline.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the riser construction apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, side elevational view showing a preferredembodiment of a portion of a riser support assembly constructed to beutilized in cooperation with the riser construction apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified riser constructionapparatus, similar to the riser construction apparatus of FIG. 1, buthaving an insertable, removable support structure.

FIG. 5 is a partial, enlarged sectional view showing a pair ofinterconnected riser-sections constructed to be utilized in cooperationwith the riser construction apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the riser-sections of FIG. 5, takensubstantially along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 5, but showing a modifiedpair of interconnected riser-sections.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, sectional view showing a preferred embodiment ofthe guide-coupling apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, sectional view showing a portion of the riser anda portion of the underwater pipeline of FIG. 8 in an interconnectedposition.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 8, but showing a-modifiedguide-coupling apparatus.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view, similar to FIG. 9, but showing amodified riser and underwater pipeline interconnection.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, elevational view showing a flange alignmentapparatus utilized to align the bolt holes in the riser and theunderwater pipeline for bolting interconnection therebetween.

FIG. 13 is a top elevational view of the end of the underwater pipelineof FIG. 12 having the guide coupling apparatus removed therefrom, and aportion of a pin guide assembly positioned therein.

FIG. 14 is a partial, side elevational view of the flange alignmentapparatus of FIG; 12.

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatical, side elevational view showing a riserconstruction and connection apparatus for constructing a riser andconnecting the riser to an underwater pipeline from a barge type supportmember.

FIG. 16 is a partial diagrammatical, side elevational view showing aportion of an underwater pipeline and apparatus for moving theunderwater pipeline into an interconnecting'position with respect to anunderwater riser being constructed from a platform.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings ingeneral, and to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in particular, shown therein anddesignated by the general reference 10 is a riser construction apparatusfor constructing a riser 12 by securedly interconnecting a predeterminednumber of riser-sections 14 from a support member 16, and connecting oneend of the constructed riser 12 to an underwater pipeline 18. The riserconstruction apparatus 10 is supported in an assembled position upon thesupport member 16 which is, more particularly, an offshore platform or,in other words, a platform which is supported on a floor 20 of a body ofwater 22, a portion of the platform 16 being disposed in a body of water22 generally below a surface 24 thereof. The platform 16 may be of thetype commonly utilized with respect to various offshore operationsrelating to the drilling and production of oil and gas, .for example,and basically comprises: a plurality of support legs 26, which areanchored in the floor 20 of the body of water 22; and a plurality ofbrace members 28, which are securedly interconnected to the support legs26 (only two of the brace members 28 and only two of the support legs 26are shown in FIG. 1, for the purpose of clarity of description).

As shown more clearly in FIG. 1, the platform 16 includes a firstoperating deck 30 supported thereon generally above the surface 24 ofthe body of water 22. A portion of the first operating deck 30 issecured to a portion of each of the support legs 26, and is generallysupported on the platform 16 thereby. A second operating deck 32is-supported by the support legs 26 on the platform 16, a distancegenerally above the first operating deck 30. The first and the secondoperating decks 30 and 32 may be of the type generally adapted tosupport various well-drilling and servicing equipment and, in someinstallations, the second operating deck 32' may be removable fortemporary utilization during certain portions of the overallconstruction operation. The construction and utilization of variousoffshore support members, such as the platform 16, generally describedabove, is well known in the art and a detailed description thereof isnot required herein.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the riser construction apparatus10 generally includes: a riser support assembly 34 and a riser loweringassembly 36, each being supported on a portion of the first operatingdeck 30; and a positioning assembly 38 supported on a lower side portionof the second operating deck 32, generally between the first operatingdeck 30 and the second operating deck 32. Although the riserconstruction apparatus 10 can be securedly connected directly to variousportions of the support member 16 and supported thereby, in a preferredform, and as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the support assembly 34 and theriser lowering assembly 36 are, more particularly, securedly supportedon a base plate 40 which is connected to a support frame 42, in a mannerto be described in more detail below.

The support frame 42 is securedly connected to and supported upon aportion of the first operating deck 30, and basically comprises aplurality of structural members 44 (one of the structural members 44being shown in FIG. 1), such as, for example, I-beams, which areinterconnected to form a generally rectangularly shaped supportstructure. The base plate 40 has opposite ends 46 and 48 and oppositesides 50 and 52. Inactual practice, additional structural members may beinterconnected and secured generally between the opposite ends 46 and 48and the opposite sides 50 and 52 to provide additional supportingstrength for the support frame 42. In view of the detailed descriptionof the riser construction apparatus below, the precise construction of asupport frame and the precise interconnection of the various structuralmembers will be apparent to those skilled in the art and a detaileddescription thereof is not required herein.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the base plate 40 includes a pluralityof support apertures 54 formed therethrough. It should be particularlynoted that the first operating deck 30 also has apertures formedtherethrough (not shown) aligned with the support apertures 54 in thebase plate 40 or, at least, the first operating deck 30 has an openingtherethrough positioned such that riser-sections 14 can be positionedthrough the support apertures 54. Each support aperture 54, moreparticularly, is sized to receive one of the riser-sections 14 such thata portion of the base plate 40 supportingly engages a portion of theriser-section 14 to storingly support the riser-section 14 disposedtherein in a stored position for subsequent utilization in theconstruction of the riser 12, for reasons and in a manner to bedescribed in greater detail below.

As generally shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, each risersection 14 has aconnecting upper end 56 and a connecting lower end 58 formed thereon.The connecting upper end 56 of each riser-section 14 is shaped tointerconnectingly mate with the connecting lower end 58 of anotherriser-section 14, in such a manner that the riser-sections 14 can besecuredly joined to form the riser 12. In a preferred form, theconnecting lower end of one of the riser-sections 14 is, moreparticularly, an underwater connecting end and is positioned orinterconnected to the other riser-sections 14 to form an underwaterconnecting end of the constructed riser 12 in a manner to be describedin greater detail below.

A support ring 60 is formed about the outer periphery of eachriser-section 14, generally near the connecting upper end 56 thereof, asshown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Each support ring 60 extends a distancegenerally radially from one of the riser-sections 14. More particularly,each support ring 60 is shaped and sized to extend a sufficient distancefrom one of the riser-sections 14, such that when one of theriser-sections 14 is lowered into a stored position through one of thesupport apertures 54, a portion of the support ring 60 engages a portionof the base plate 40, generally adjacent the support aperture 54, theriser-section 14 being thus supported in a stored position therein. It

should also be noted that the support ring 60 of each riser-section 14is also shaped and disposed to engagingly contact a portion of the risersupport assembly 34, in one position of the riser support assembly 34,during the construction of the riser 12, in a manner and for reasonswhich will be described in greater detail below.

In a preferred form and as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, a pair ofposition apertures 62 are formed through a portion of each support ring60. The position apertures 62 are spaced approximately 180 apart and aresized and positioned on each support ring 60 to cooperate with the risersupport assembly 34 such that one of the riser-sections 14 is securedlypositioned and supported therein in one position of the riser supportassembly 34, as will be described in greater detail below.

A pair of support apertures 64 are also formed through a portion of eachsupport ring 60, as shown in FIG. 2. The support apertures 64 are spacedapproximately 180 apart, and each support aperture 64 is spacedapproximately 90 from each position aperture 62. The support apertures64 are sized and positioned on each support ring 60 to cooperate withthe lowering assembly 36 such that the interconnected riser-sections 14can be lowered through the riser support assembly 34, in one position ofthe riser support assembly 34 and in one position of the loweringassembly 36, in a manner to be described in greater detail below.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the riser opening 66 is formedthrough a central portion of the base plate 40, and the riser opening 66is also centrally disposed with respect to the riser support assembly34. The riser opening 66 is sized such that the interconnectedriser-sections 14 can be passed therethrough, more particularly, theriser opening 66 has a diameter larger than the largest radial diameterof any portion of any of the riser-sections 14, for reasons which willbe made apparent below. It should be particularly noted that the firstoperating deck 30 also has apertures (not shown) formed therethrough or,at least, an opening therethrough positioned such that interconnectedrisersections 14 can be passed through the riser opening 66 during oneportion of the operation of the riser construction apparatus 10, forreasons and in a manner to be described in more detail below.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the riser support assembly 34 is securedto and supported upon a portion of the base plate 40, generally about ornear the riser opening 66. The riser support assembly 34 has a supportposition, and is constructed to securedly position and to supportinglyengage one of the riser-sections 14 or, more particularly, a portion ofthe support ring 60 of one of the riser-sections 14, in a supportposition of the riser support assembly 34. The riser support assembly 34also has a release position, and is constructed to non-engagingly passthe interconnected riser-sections l4 therethrough, in a release positionthereof, in a manner to be described in greater detail below.

The riser support assembly 34 includes a pair of support arm assemblies70 secured to a portion of the base plate 40, generally adjacent theriser opening 66, and a pair of actuator assemblies 72 which are securedto a portion of the base plate 40. Each actuator assembly 72 isconnected to one of the support arm assemblies 70 to move the supportarm assemblies 70 to a support position and a release position, in amanner to be described in detail below.

Each support arm assembly 70 includes a support arm 74, as shown moreclearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each support arm 74 has a pivot end 76 and asupport end 78. The pivot end 76 of each support arm 74 is pivotallysecured to the support member 16 and, more particularly, each pivot end76 is pivotally secured to a flange 80 via a pin 82, as shown moreclearly in FIG. 3. Each flange 80 is secured to the base plate 40, andpositioned thereon such that, in the assembled position of the risersupport assembly 34, the support arms 74 are spaced approximately 180apart, for reasons which will be made apparent below.

In a preferred-form, each support arm 74 has a base 84 formed on thesupport end 78 thereof, and each base 84 has an upper supporting surface86 formed thereon. Each upper surface 86 is arcuately shaped and eachrisersection 14 in a support position of the riser support assembly 34,and in one position of each risersection 14. It should be noted thateach support arm assembly 70 could, in one form, include additionallocating pins 88', however, in a preferred form, each support armassembly 70 does include at least one locating pin 88, and each supportarm assembly 70 is disposed generally on opposite sides of theriser-section 14 being supported thereby such that the locating pins 88on the support arm'assemblies 70 are spaced approximately 180 apart, ina support position of the riser support assembly 34, as shown in FIGS.1, 2 and 3.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the support ring 60 of eachriser-section 14 has an upper surface 90 and a lower surface 92. Thelower surface 92 of each support ring 60 is shaped to engage a portionof the upper surface 86 of each support arm 74, in a support position ofone of the riser-sections 14 with respect to the riser support assembly34, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Each actuator assembly 72, more particularly, includes a cylinderactuator 93, having a piston arm 94 reciprocatingly disposed therein.The end of each cylinder actuator 93, opposite the piston arm 94 endthereof, is pivotally secured to a flange 95, which is secured to aportion of the base plate 40 via a pivot pin 96 (the pivotalinterconnection between one of the cylinder actuators 93 and one of theflanges 95 being shown in greater detail in FIG. 3). The end of eachpiston arm 94 opposite the end thereof reciprocatingly disposed in oneof the cylinder actuators 93 is pivotally secured to a flange 97, formedon a portion of each support arm 74 and extending generallyperpendicularly therefrom.

The support arms 74 and the cooperating cylinder actuators 93 are thuseach pivotally connected to the support member 16 or, more particularly,to a portion of the base plate 40, and interconnected such that as eachpiston arm 94 is reciprocated into the respective cylinder actuator93,-each support arm 74 is pivotally moved in a general direction 98 toa release position, and such that as each piston arm 94 is reciprocatedgenerally toward the support arm 74 connected thereto, each support arm74 is pivotally moved in a general direction 99 to a support position.Each cylinder actuator 93 is thus actuatable to move the support arm 74connected thereto to a support position and a release position, in amanner as generally described above. Such cylinder actuators are wellknown in the art, and a further detailed description of the constructionand operation thereof is not required herein.

In the support position of the riser support assembly 34 and one of theriser-sections 14, the locating pin 88 of each support arm 74 isdisposed through one of the position apertures 62. In this position, thelocating pins 88 of each support arm 74 thus cooperate with the supportring 60 of the supported riser-section 14 to securedly position thesupported riser-section 14 in the riser support assembly 34. Thus, thebase 84 securedly supports the riser-section 14 in the riser supportassembly 34 in a stationary vertical position, and the locating pins 88cooperate with the position apertures 64 to securedly support theriser-sections 14 in the riser support assembly 34 in a stationary axialposition, in the support position of the riser support assembly 34.

It should be particularly noted that the term vertical as used herein todenote a direction or a plane represents a direction or a plane whichextends generally parallel to a direction of plane extendingperpendicularly from the base plate 40,, and the term horizontal as usedherein to denote a direction or a plane represents a direction or planewhich extends generally parallel to the base plate 40. In this regard,the terms axially and radially are used herein to denote a direction ora plane extending generally axially or radially with respect to theconstructed riser 12 which is vertically disposed in the body of water22.

The riser lowering assembly 36 is constructed and positioned toguidingly lower the constructed riser 12 in a direction generally towardthe underwater pipeline 18 to a position wherein the riser 12connectingly engages the underwater pipeline 18.- As shown in FIGS. 1and 2, the riser lowering assembly 36 includes a pair of winchassemblies 100, each winch assembly 100 being supported on the supportmember 16 and spaced approximately l apar't. More particularly, one ofthe winch assemblies is supported on the base plate 40 generally nearthe end 46 thereof, and one of the winch assemblies 100 is supported onthe base plate 40 generally near the end 48 thereof. A winch cable 102is connected to each winch assembly 100.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of winch apertures 104 are formed through thebase plate 40. More particularly, each winch aperture 104 is formedthrough the base plate 40 generally between one of the winch assemblies100, and the riser aperture 66, for reasons which will be made-moreapparent below.

One end of each wench cable 102 is secured to one of the winchassemblies 100 and the opposite end of each winch cable 102 is removablyconnected to a portype support member for temporary storage, for reasonsto be made more apparent below.

The underwater pipeline 18 is constructed of a plurality ofinterconnected pipe-sections and, in a preferred form and as shown inFIG. 1, an underwater connecting end 140 is connected to one end of theunderwater pipeline 18. The underwater connecting end 140, referred tosometimes below as the pipeline underwater connecting end 140, isconstructed to interconnectingly engage one end of the constructed riser12, in one position of the constructed riser 12and the underwaterpipeline 18, as will be described in greater detail below. I

A guide coupling assembly 142 is removably disposed in a portion of theunderwater pipeline 18 generally near the end of the underwater pipeline18 having the underwater connecting end 140 connected thereto, as shownin FIG. 1. A portion of the guide coupling assembly 142 is shaped anddisposed to guidingly engage a portion of the-constructed riser 12,generally near an underwater connecting end 144 thereof, to guide theconstructed riser 12 to a position wherein the underwater connecting end144 of the constructed riser 12 connectingly engages a portion of theunderwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18, in a mannerto be described in greater detail below.

As mentioned before, each of the riser-sections 14 has a connectingupper end 56 and a connecting lower end 58; however, in a preferred formand as shown in FIG. 1, one of the riser-sections 14 has an upper end 56and the underwater connecting end 144 is connected to the end thereofopposite the upper end 56 thereof. The riser-sections 14 areinterconnected to form the constructed riser 12 such that the underwaterconnecting end 144 connected to the one riser-section 14 forms thelowermost end or the underwater connecting end 144 of the constructedriser 12. It is apparent from the foregoing that the constructed riser12 is formed from a predetermined number of riser-sections 14 whereinone of the riser-sections 14 has an upper end 56 and an underwaterconnecting end 144, and each other risersection 14 has an upper end 56and a lower end 58. The riser-sections 14 are interconnected such thatthe connecting upper end 56 of some of the riser-sections 14 isinterconnected to the connecting lower end 58 of one other riser-section14 to form the constructed riser 12, as will be made more apparentbelow.

As shown in FIG. 1, the riser construction apparatus also includes aflange alignment assembly 146 which is supported generally between theunderwater connecting end 144 of the one riser-section l4 and theunderwater connecting end 140 connected to the underwater pipeline 18.The flange alignment assembly 146 is constructed to align the bolt holes(not shown in FIG. 1) of the underwater connecting end 140 connected tothe underwater pipeline 18 with the bolt holes through a portion of theunderwater connecting end 144 of the one riser-section 14 for boltinginterconnection therebetween, in a manner and for reasons which will bedescribed in greater detail below.

OPERATION OF FIGURES 1, 2 AND 3 The riser construction apparatus 10described above, is constructed and positioned to facilitate theconstruction of the riser 12 from the support member 16, and to positionthe lowermost end of the constructed riser 12, that is the underwaterconnecting end 144 thereof, in an interconnectingly engaging positionwith the underwater connecting end of the underwater pipeline 18, sothat the constructed riser 12 can be safely and securedly joined to theunderwater pipeline 18.

After the platform 16 has been constructed, the support frame 42, havingthe base plate 40 secured thereto is initially positioned upon andsecured to a portion of the first operating deck 30 of the platform 16.In one form, the various assemblies and components of the riserconstruction apparatus 10 are then secured in an assembled position tothe base plate 40 and to a portion of the second operating deck 32. Inanother form, the various assemblies and components of the riserconstruction apparatus 10 could be secured to the first operating deck30, the first operating deck 30, in this form, providing the supportstructure for the riser construction apparatus 10.

A plurality of riser-sections 14 are then storingly disposed in thesupport apertures 54 for subsequent utilization in the construction ofthe riser 12. It should be noted that, in one form, the riserconstruction apparatus 10 could be assembled on the base plate 40 priorto inserting the support frame 42 onto the support member 16. In thisform, if the riser-sections 14 are storingly disposed in the supportapertures 54 prior to inserting the unit onto the platform 16, the firstoperating deck 30 will be constructed or modified to provide an accessopening or a clearance for the stored risersections 14 to pass through,as the unit is being initially positioned onto the first operating deck30.

In those applications where the riser-sections 14 are not initiallypositioned in the various support apertures 54 prior to installing theriser construction apparatus 10 on the platform 16, the riser-sections14 to be storingly supported through the riser-section apertures 54 areinitially unloaded from a barge, temporarily positioned in the risersection receiving assembly 130, and then positioned in the supportapertures 54 by the positioning assembly 38. In this instance, thepositioning assembly 38 is positioned generally over the risersection 14temporarily stored in the riser section receiving assembly 130, andactuated to a lowering position, thereby lowering the crane cable 122.The crane cable 122 is lowered to a position wherein the riser sectionconnector 124 can be securedly connected to the riser-section l4 storedin the riser section receiving assembly 130. The positioning assembly 38is then actuated to a raising position, thereby raising the crane cable122 and the riser-section 14 connected thereto via the riser-sectionconnector 124. The positioning assembly 38 will raise the riser-section14 to a position wherein the connecting lower end 58 of theriser-section 14 is disposed in a horizontal plane generally above thebase plate v40. The positioning assembly 38 is then moved transverselyand laterally over the base plate 40 to a position wherein theriser-section 14 connected thereto is spaced generally over one of thesupport apertures 54. The positioning assembly 38 is then again actuatedto a lowering position, thereby lowering the riser-section 14 connectedthereto through the support aperture 54 and to a position tion of theinterconnected riser-sections 14, more particularly, a connecting end106 of each winch cable 102 is removably connected to the support ring60 of I 106. Each guide pulley 108 is secured to a portion of theplatform 16, and is disposed thereon to guide one of the winch cables102 into a guidingly, engagingposition with the constructed riser 12,for reasons which will be described in detail below.

1 connected thereto, thereby raising the constructed riser 12 connectedthereto, and such that in the actuated lowering position, each winch 100releases a predetermined length of the winch cable 102, thereby loweringthe constructed riser 12 connected thereto. Winch assemblies constructedto retrieve and release a winch cable connected thereto, such asgenerally described above with respect to the winch assemblies 100, arewell known in the art and a detailed description of the construction andoperation of the various components thereof is not required herein.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the positioning assembly 38 includes anoverhead crane assembly 110 which is rollingly connected to a transversetrack assembly 1 12. The transverse track assembly 112 is rollinglyconnected to a lateral track assembly 113. The track assemblies 112 and113 are each supported in a horizontal plane generally above the risersupport assembly 34 and the stored riser-sections 14, which arestoringly disposed in the support apertures 54. More particularly, thelateral track assembly 113 includes a pair of lateral track members 114which extend generally laterally over the riser support assembly 34 andthe stored riser-sections 14, and the transverse track assembly 112includes a pair of transverse track members 115 which extend generallytransversely with respect to the lateral track assembly 113.

The overhead crane assembly 110 includes a crane support frame 116 whichis rollingly connected to the I transverse track assembly 112 via aplurality of interconnecting roller assemblies 118, as shown moreclearly in FIG. 2. The crane support frame 116 is thus transverselypositionable on the transverse track assembly 1 12 or, moreparticularly, rollable on the transverse track assembly 112 topredetermined positions over the stored riser-sections 14 and over theriser support assembly 34.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the overhead crane assembly 110 also includesa crane winch 120 which is 112 is thus laterally positionable on thelateral track assembly 113.

It is apparent from the foregoing, that the crane assembly 110 ispositionable on the track assemblies 112 and 113 to predeterminedpositions over the stored riser-sections 14 and over the riser supportassembly 34, during the operation of the positioning assembly 38. In oneform, a position control apparatus (not shown) is connected to theoverhead crane assembly 110 and a control portion thereof is disposednear the base plate 40 so that an operator can transversely andlaterally position the overhead crane assembly 110, for

reasons and in a manner to be made more apparent below.

The riser section connector 124 is constructed to be removably securedto a portion of a riser-section 14. In a preferred form, the risersection connector 124 is, more particularly, constructed to be securedlyand removably connected to the support ring 60 of one of theriser-sections 14 via the support apertures 64 therethrough, in anoperating position of the riser section connector 124, so that theriser-section 14 connected thereto can be positioningly raised andlowered by the .positioning assembly 38, in a manner and for reasons tobe described in detail below.

The crane winch is driven by a winch drive 126 which, as shown in FIG.1, is also supported on a portion of the crane support frame 116. Thewinch drive 126 has an actuated raising position and an actuatedlowering position, and is connected to the crane winch 120 such that, inan actuated raising position of the winch drive 126, the crane winch 120retrieves a portion of the crane cable 122 thereby raising therisersection 14 connected thereto via the riser section connector 124 ina generally vertical direction toward the track assemblies 112 and 113,and such that, in an actuated lowering position of the winch drive 126,the crane winch 120 releases a portion of the crane cable 122 therebylowering the riser-section 14 connected thereto via the riser sectionconnector 124 in a generally downwardly direction toward the storedriser-sections 14 and the riser support assembly 34. In a preferredform, the control apparatus (not shown) for the winch drive 126 isconnected to the winch drive 126 and movably disposed near the baseplate 40 so that an operator can control the actuated position of thewinch drive 126 to raise or lower a riser-section 14, in a manner andfor reasons to be made more apparent below.

In one form, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the riser constructionapparatus 10 also includes a riser section receiving assembly 130 whichis supported on the support member 16. The riser section receivingassembly 130, as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, basically includes a pairof support beams 132, one end of each support beam 132 being secured tothe end 46 of the support frame 42. The support beams 132 are spaced adistance apart, and each support beam 132 extends a distance generallyperpendicularly from the support frame 42. More particularly, thesupport members 132 are spaced a sufficient distance apart and disposedwith respect to the platform 16 to receivingly and supportingly engage aportion of the lower surface 92 of the support ring 60 of one of theriser-sections 14, which is supportingly positioned therein from a bargewinch drive 126 of the positioning assembly 38 is then actuated to araising position, and the overhead crane assembly 110 is then movedlaterally and transversely on the track assemblies 112 and 113 to aposition wherein the overhead crane assembly 110 is disposed generallyabove another or a subsequent riser-section 14. The winch drive 126 isthen actuated to a lowering position, thereby lowering the riser sectionconnector 124 to a position for interconnection thereof to thesubsequent riser-section 14.

After the riser section connector 124 is secured to the support ring 60of the riser-section 14, the winch drive 126 is then actuated to araising position, thereby raising the riser-section 14 connectedthereto. The riser-section 14 is raised in a generally upwardlydirection and removed from the support aperture 54. The overhead craneassembly 110 is then laterally and transversely positioned over the baseplate 40 to a position wherein the riser-section 14 connected thereto isdisposed generally over the riser support assembly 34, in a manner asdescribed above.

After the subsequent riser-section 14 has been positioned over the risersupport assembly 34, as described above, the overhead crane assembly 110is actuated to a lowering position, thereby lowering the riser-section14 connected thereto generally toward the riser support assembly 34 or,more particularly, generally toward the supported riser-section 14 whichis securedly supported in the riser support assembly 34. Theriser-section 14 supported by the positioning assembly 38 is lowered toa position wherein the connecting lower end 58 thereof is positioned ina mating, interconnecting relationship with respect to the connectingupper end 56 of the riser-section 14, which is supported in the risersupport assembly 34.

After the connecting lower end 58 of the riser-section 14 supported bythe positioning assembly 38 is then moved into a mating, interconnectingrelationship with respect to the connecting upper end 56 of theriser-section 14 supported in the riser support assembly 34, the tworiser-sections 14 are then secured together such as, for example, bywelding or bolting. two risersections 14 together. It should be notedthat, in the preferred form, the two riser-sections 14 are welded or, atleast, partially welded in an interconnecting relationship to form aportion of the constructed r iser 12. In this form of the invention,that is where the two risersections 14 are welded or partially welded inan interconnecting relationship, the connecting upper end 56 and theconnecting lower end 58 of each riser-section 14 is formed andconstructed to facilitate not only the interconnecting, matingrelationship, described above, but also to facilitate the weldinginterconnection of the two riser-sections 14. It should also be notedthat preferred embodiments of the connecting upper end 56 and theconnecting lower end 58 of the riser-sections 14 will be described ingreater detail below.

The riser support assembly 34 maintains the risersection 14, supportedtherein, in a firm and secure position, such that the movement of thesupported risersection 14 is substantially reduced or virtuallyeliminated, as described before. The positioning assembly 38 cooperatesto maintain the position of the riser-section 14 connected thereto in amanner relatively free of movement, and connecting upper end 56 andconnecting lower end 58 of each riser-section 14 is also shaped in apreferred form, to cooperate with the riser support assembly 34 and thepositioning assembly 38 to maintain the interconnecting disposition ofthe riser-sections 14 during the welding or other interconnectingoperation to assure a sealingly secure interconnection between the tworiser-sections.

After the two riser sections 14 have been secured in an interconnectedrelationship, as described above, the winch drive 126 of the positioningassembly 38 is actuated to a raising position, thereby raising the twointerconnected riser-sections 14 in a generally upwardly, verticaldirection. The two interconnected riser-sections 14 are raised upwardlyby the positioning assembly 33 to a position wherein the riser supportassembly 34 is disengaged from the supported riser-section 14 supportedthereby or, more particularly, to a position wherein the locating pins88 of the riser support assembly 34 are removed from the positionapertures 62 of the supported riser-section 14.

After the two interconnected riser-sections 14 have been raised by thepositioning assembly 38, as described above, each connecting end portion106 of the riser iowering assembly 36 is removably, securedly connectedthrough one of the support apertures 64 of the support ring 60 of theriser-section l4 first supported in the riser support assembly 34. Theriser lowering assembly 36 is thus connected in an assembled position toa portion of the partially constructed riser 12, in a manner asdescribed above.

The riser lowering assembly 36 is constructed and the guide pulleys 108are disposed and positioned on the support member 16 to maintain eachwinch cable 102 taut at all times during the construction of the riser12, after the riser lowering assembly 36 has been connected to the firstsupported riser-section l4 and, more particularly, is constructed tolower the interconnected riser-sections 14 of the constructed riser 12to a position wherein the underwater connecting end 144 of theconstructed riser 12 is interconnectingly disposed with respect to theunderwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18, as will bedescribed in greater detail below.

After the interconnected riser-sections 14 have been disengaged from theriser support assembly 34, as described above, the riser supportassembly 34 is actuated to a release position, that is a positionwherein each support arm 74 is pivoted in a release direction 98 awayfrom the riser opening 66. The support arm assemblies 70 and theactuator assemblies 72 are each constructed such that, in the releaseposition of the riser support assembly 34, each support arm 74 ispivoted in a release direction 98 to a position wherein theinterconnected riser-sections 14 can be lowered through the risersupport assembly 34 and through the riser opening 66 without engagingeither support arm assembly 70.

After the riser support assembly 34 has been positioned in the releaseposition, the overhead crane assembly 110 is actuated to a loweringposition, thereby lowering the two interconnected riser-sections 14through the riser support assembly 34 through the riser opening 66, to aposition wherein the connecting upper end 56 of the last connectedriser-section 14 is disposed in a horizontal plane generally above theriser support wherein the riser-section 14 is storingly supportedtherein, in a manner as described before.

The positioning assembly 38 is utilized, in a manner as described above,to remove a predetermined number of riser-sections 14 from the risersection receiving assembly 130 and to position those riser-sections 14in a stored position through the support apertures 54. It should also benoted that, in those applications where the riser-sections 14 arestoringly disposed in the support apertures 54 prior to inserting theriser construction apparatus onto the platform 16, the riser sectionreceiving assembly- 130 and the positioning assembly 38 can be utilizedto obtain additional riser-sections 14 which may be required during theconstruction of the riser 12, in some of the applications, in a mannersimilar to that described above.

Whether the riser section receiving assembly 130 and the positioningassembly 38 are utilized to initially position the riser-sections 14 inthe support apertures 54, or to position additional riser-sections 14 inthe support apertures 54, in either event, the riser-sections 14 can beinitially positioned in the riser section receiving assembly 130 andsubsequently positioned in the support apertures 54 by the positioningassembly 130 during a slack tide. In this manner, the storedriser-sections 14 can be subsequently utilized to construct the riser 12regardless of the water condition, and thus various operating personneland equipment are not idled due to a rough water condition, therebyreducing the amount of non-productive time and substantially increasingthe efficiency and reducing the cost of the riser constructionoperation.

After the riser construction apparatus 10 has been securedly positionedon the platform 16 and the risersections 14 have been storingly disposedthrough the support apertures 54, the riser support assembly 34 is thenactuated to a support position, that is a position wherein the risersupport assembly 34 is positioned to securedly and supportingly receiveand engage a risersection 14. More particularly, each actuator assembly72, shown more clearly in FIG. 3, is actuated to pivotally move eachsupport arm assembly 70 in a support direction 99.

The positioning assembly 38 and, more particularly, the overhead craneassembly 110 supported thereon, is then transversely and laterallypositioned on the transverse track assembly 112 and the lateral trackassembly 113, respectively, such that the overhead crane assembly 110 ispositioned generally over or above one of the riser-sections 14 which isstoringly disposed in one of the support apertures 54 or in the risersection receiving assembly 130. In this position of the positioningassembly 38, the winch drive 126 is then actuated to a loweringposition, thereby lowering the crane cable 122 in a downwardly directiongenerally toward the base plate 40. The crane cable 122 is lowered, in amanner as described above, to a position wherein the riser sectionconnector 124 is disposed generally near the connecting upper end 56 ofone of the riser-sections 14. The operator will then secure the risersection connector 124 to the riser-section 14 or, more particularly, tothe support ring 60 of the riser-section 14.

After the riser section connector 124 is secured to one of theriser-sections 14, the winch drive 126 is then actuated to a raisingposition wherein the crane cable 122 is retrieved on the crane winch 120or, in other words, wherein the crane cable 122 is moved in an upwardlydirection generally toward the positioning assembly 38, thereby raisingthe riser-section 14 connected thereto via the riser section connector124. The overhead crane assembly 1 10 will continue to move theriser-section 14 connected thereto in an' upwardly direction to aposition wherein the connecting lower end 58 of the riser-section 14 isdisposed a distance vertically above the base plate 40 and thus removedfrom the support apertures 54.

The operator will then move the overhead crane assembly 110 transverselyacross the transverse track assembly 112 and move the transverse trackassembly 112 laterally across the lateral track assembly 113 to aposition wherein the riser-section 14 connected thereto is disposedgenerally above the riser support assembly 34 or, more particularly,generally above the riser opening 66 through the base plate 40. Theoverhead crane assembly 110, or more particularly, the winch drive 126thereof is then actuated to a lowering position, thereby lowering theriser-section 14 connected thereto in a generally downwardly directiontoward the base plate 40.

The riser-section 14 is lowered by the overhead crane assembly 110, asdescribed above, through the space between the support arm assemblies 70and through the riser opening 66 to a position wherein the lower surface92 of the support ring 60 is supportingly engaged by the upper surface86 of each support arm assembly 70. In a preferred form, theriser-section 14 being lowered through the riser opening 66 is alsopositioned such that each locating pin 88, disposed on the support arms74, is partially disposed through one of the position apertures 62 inthe support ring 60, as shown more clearly in FIG. 3.

The supported riser-section 14, that is the particular riser-section 14supported in the riser support assembly 34, is thus secured in apredetermined horizontal plane via the engagement between a portion ofthe lower surface 92 of the support ring 60 and the supporting surface86 of each support arm 74. The supported risersection 14 is alsosecuredly supported in a predetermined axial position via the locatingpins 88, each of which is disposed through one of the position apertures62 in the support ring 60. The locating pins 88, more particularly,engage a portion of the support ring 60 and cooperate to limit orvirtually prevent any rotational movement of the supported riser-section14, about an axial axis, for reasons which will be made more apparentbelow.

It should be noted that, in a preferred form, the first riser-section 14supported in the riser support assembly 34 is, more particularly, thatone riser-section l4 having the underwater connecting end 144 connectedthereto. It will be apparent from the foregoing that, in this manner,the lowermost end of the constructed riser 12, as shown in FIG. 1, willbe the underwater connecting end 144.

After one of the riser-sections 14 has been securedly supported in theriser support assembly 34, the operator will then release and remove therisersectionconnector 124 from the support ring 60 of the supportedriser-section 14, thereby disconnecting the supported riser-section 14from the positioning assembly 38. The

assembly 34. The riser support assembly 34 is then actuated to a supportposition, as described before, and the interconnected riser-sections 14are further lowered to a position wherein the connecting upper endportion 56 of the last connected riser-section 14 is securedly andsupportingly engaged by the riser support assembly 34, in a mannersimilar to that described in detail before with respect to theriser-section 14 first supportingly positioned in the riser supportassembly 34.

The riser-section connector 124 is then disconnected from theriser-section 14, and the two interconnected riser-sections 14 are thensecuredly supported and positioned in a predetermined horizontal planeby the riser support assembly 34, in a manner similar to that describedbefore. The positioning assembly 38 is then utilized to remove anotherriser-section 14 storingly disposed in one of the support apertures 54,and to move that riser-section 14 to a position wherein the connectinglower end 58 of that riser-section 14 is matingly and interconnectinglydisposed with respect to the connecting upper end 56 of theriser-section 14 supported in the riser support assembly 34, in a mannersimilar to that described above. The connecting lower end 58 of theriser-section 14 supported by the positioning assembly 38 is thensecured to the connecting upper end 56 of the riser-section 14 supportedin the riser support assembly 34, in a manner similar to that describedabove. The positioning assembly 38 is actuated to disengage thesupported riser-sections 14 from the riser support assembly 34, and tolower the interconnected riser-sections 14 through the riser supportassembly 34 and through the riser opening 66 to a position wherein theconnecting upper end 56 of the last connected riser-section 14 issecuredly and supportingly engaged by the riser support assembly 34.

A predetermined number of riser-sections 14 are interconnected in amanner as described above to form the constructed riser 12. The precisenumber of risersections 14 utilized to form the constructed riser 12will, of course, depend upon the desired overall length of the riser l2and the length of each riser-section 14.

After the riser-sections 14 have been securedly interconnected to formthe constructed riser 12, the riser lowering assembly 36 is actuated toa raising position, thereby raising the constructed riser 12 to aposition wherein the last connected riser-section 14 is disengaged fromthe riser support assembly 34. The riser support assembly 34 is thenactuated to a release position.

In a release position of the riser support assembly 34, the riserlowering assembly 36 is actuated to a lowering position thereby loweringthe constructed riser 12 in a generally downwardly direction toward theunderwater connecting end 140 connected to the underwater pipeline 18.The riser lowering assembly 36 is, more particularly, utilized to lowerthe constructed riser 12 to a position wherein the underwater connectingend 144 thereof is positioned in mating and interconnecting engagementwith the underwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18, aswill be described in greater detail below.

In one form, the riser lowering assembly 36 can be utilized solely tolower the constructed riser l2, and the positioning assembly 38 can beutilized to provide a stationary, augmenting support for theinterconnected riser-sections 14 during the lowering thereof. ln anotherform, the riser lowering assembly 36 and, more particularly, the winchcables 102 thereof can be utilized solely to lower the constructed riser12.

In a preferred form, and as will be described in greater detail below,the guide coupling assembly 142 and the flange alignment assembly 146are each disposed in a portion of the underwater pipeline 18 generallynear the underwater connecting end thereof. The guide coupling assembly142 and the flange alignment assembly 146 each cooperate to position theunderwater connecting end 144 of the constructed riser 12 in aninterconnecting relationship with respect to the underwater connectingend 140 of the underwater pipeline 18. More particularly, the guidecoupling assembly 142 guidingly engages the underwater connecting end144 of the constructed riser 12 to guide the underwater connecting end144 in an interconnecting relationship with respect to the underwaterconnecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18, as the constructedriser 12 is lowered in a generally downwardly direction toward theunderwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18. The flangealignment assembly 146, more particularly, cooperates to align the boltholes of the underwater connecting end 144 with the bolt holes of theunderwater connecting end 140 for bolting interconnection therebetweenin a manner which will be described in more detail below.

The riser lowering assembly 36 will be actuated to initially lower theconstructed riser 12 to a position wherein the underwater connecting end144 thereof is disposed in a horizontal plane generally above theunderwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18. The riserlowering assembly 36 is then utilized to maintain the constructed riser12 in a predetermined horizontal plane until such time as the underwaterinterconnection between the constructed riser l2 and the underwaterpipeline 18 can be effected by a diver. The diver will position himselfgenerally near the underwater connecting ends 140 and 144 of thepipeline l8 and the constructed riser l2, respectively, and then, in apreferred form, the riser lowering assembly 36 will be actuated tofurther lower the constructed riser 12 to a position wherein theunderwater connecting end 144 of the riser l2 interconnectingly andmatingly joins the underwater connecting end 140 of the underwaterpipeline 18. The diver will then secure the constructed riser 12 to theunderwater pipeline 18 such as, for example, by bolting or by boltingand welding the underwater connecting end 144 of the riser 12 to theunderwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that the riser constructionapparatus 10, shown in fIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and described above, thusprovides an apparatus and a method for constructing an underwater riserin a safe and efficient manner, and a manner assuring a sealingly secureinterconnection between the various riser-sections 14 and between theunderwater interconnecting ends of the riser and the underwaterpipeline. The two riser-sections 14 which are being interconnectedduring any one portion of the operation of the riser constructionapparatus 10 are securedly positioned in an interconnecting relationshipby the riser support assembly 34 and the riser positioning assembly 38,thereby substantially reducing or virtually eliminating relativemovement between the two riser-sections 14 being thus interconnected. Inthose instances where the interconnection between the two riser-sectionsmust be effected while relative movement between the two riser-sectionsis occurring, as in the past, the interconnecting weld material or theseal element disposed between the end of the two riser-sections beinginterconnected will be continually fractured, cracked or damaged, thusmaking it virtually impossible to assure a sealingly secureinterconnection.

' The riser construction apparatus is particularly adapted to besupported by a marine support structure 16, such as the platform 16,shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, thereby permitting the various technicalpersonnel responsible for the construction of the riser 12 to performtheir various responsibilities and functions from a stable supportingstructure, and further since the relative movement between the tworiser-sections 14 being interconnected is virtually eliminated, theirvarious functions and responsibilities can be effected under safer,overall working conditions. It should also be noted that since the tworiser-sections 14 are securedly positioned and supported in a mating andinterconnected relationship during the interconnecting operation, in amanner as described above, the various risersections 14 can beinterconnected to form the constructed riser 12 independent of theparticular condition of the body of water 22 into which the constructedriser 12 will ultimately be disposed. More particularly, theinterconnection between the various riser-sections 14 can be effectedutilizing the riser construction apparatus 10 even during those timeswhen a high tide or a rough water condition exists with respect to thebody of water 22 generally about or near the marine support structure16, thereby effecting the construction of the riser 12 in'a moreefficient manner.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and as described in detail before, a pluralityof riser-sections 14 are storingly disposed through a portion of theriser construction apparatus 10 to be subsequently utilized during theconstruction of the underwater riser 12. The riser-section receivingassembly 130 allows a plurality of additional riser-sections 14 to beunloaded from a barge and storingly disposed in the riser constructionapparatus 10 during slack tide water conditions, thereby permitting anoverall more efficient riser construction operation. More particularly,utilizing the riser construction apparatus 10, the various technical andoperating personnel associated with the construction of the riser 12 arenot idled during rough water conditions.

' EMBODIMENT oF FIGURE 4 The riser construction apparatus 10a, shown inFIG. 4, is constructed similar to the 'riser' construction apparatus 10,shown in-FIGS.- 1, 2 and 3, thesalient difference being that the supportframe 42 is-rigidly and adjustably connected to the transverse trackassembly 1 12 and the-lateraltrack assembly ll3 by. aplurality oftelescoping connectors'l50. The riser construction apparatus 10a is'thusconstructedsuch that the support frame 42 provides apor'table supportingstructure. for

the riser support assembly 34, the riser lowering assembly 36, thepositioning assembly 38 and the riser section receiving assembly 130,such that the riser construction apparatus can be constructed as acomplete, single, unitary unit, and subsequently transported to thevarious offshore locations, and inserted as a unit onto the supportstructure, such as the platform 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Each telescoping connector has opposite ends, and one end of eachtelescoping connector 150 is connected to a portion of the base plate40. The positioning assembly 38 is supportingly connected to the end ofeach telescoping connector 150, opposite the ends thereof secured to thebase plate 40. Each telescoping connector 150 is positionable inpredetermined horizontal planes to position the positioning assembly 38in a transport position and an assembled position.

More particularly, each telescoping connector 150 (two of thetelescoping connectors 150 are shown in FIG. 4), basically includes afirst structural support member 152, which is secured on one end thereofto a portion of the lateral track assembly 113, and a second structuralmember 154, which is secured on one end thereof to the support frame 42.Each second structural member 154 is hollow, and the hollow portionthereof is sized to telescopingly receive a portion of one of the firststructural members 152. It will be apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the foregoing, thatthe vertical distance generally between the baseplate 40 and the transverse track assembly 112 and the lateral trackassembly 113 is thus adjustable in a vertically, downwardly direction158 and in a vertically, upwardly direction by moving the positioningassembly 38 in a vertically downwardly direction 158 or in a verticallyupwardly direction 160, respectively, thereby telescoping each firststructural member 152 a greater distance into the hollow portion of oneof the second structural members 154 or telescoping each firststructural member 152 in a direction generally out of the hollow portionof one of the second structural members 154. It should be noted thatalthough only two of the telescoping connectors 150 are shown in FIG. 2,that in a preferred form, a plurality of telescoping connectors 150 areconnected to the base plate 40 and positioned thereon generally aboutthe support frame 42 such as, for example, positioning one telescopingconnector 150 at each corner of the support frame 42, in such a mannerthat the transverse track assembly 112 and the lateral track assembly113 is securedly positioned in a horizontal plane generally above thebase plate 40 via the telescoping connectors 150.

In one form, after the first structural member 152 of each telescopingconnector 150 has been telescopingly disposed to a predeterminedposition in the hollow portion of one of the second structural members154, the first structural member 152 and the second structural member154 of each telescoping connector 150 can be secured in thispredetermined position by welding interconnection therebetween. In apreferred form, and as indicated in FIG. 4, a plurality of apertures 156are formed. through a portion of each of the second structural members154 and a plurality of holes, similar to the holes 156, arealso formedthrough a portion of each of the first structural members 152. In thislatter form, after the positioning-assembly38 has been moved to apredetermined horizontal position above the base plate 40, a securingpin (not shown) can then be disposed through one of the apertures 156and through an aligned aperture in the first structural member 152 ofeach telescoping connector 150, the pin thereby removably securing thefirst structural member 152 in a predetermined position with respect tothe second structural member 154 of each telescoping connector 150.

OPERATION OF FIG. 4

As mentioned before, the riser construction apparatus a, shown in FIG.4, is particularly constructed to provide portable support for thevarious components and assemblies of the riser construction apparatus10a, so that the riser construction apparatus 10a can be convenientlytransported to a remote location and disposed in an assembled positionon a particular marine support structure, such as the first operatingdeck 30 of the platform 16, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The riserconstruction apparatus 10a is positionable in a transport position, thatis a position wherein the first structural member 152 has beentelescoped in a vertically, downwardly direction 158 to the full extent,or more particularly, to the position wherein the end of each firststructural member 152 either abuts the end of one of the secondstructural members 154 connected to the support frame 42 or to aposition wherein a portion of the positioning assembly 38 engages aportion of the end of each second structural member 154 opposite theends thereof secured to the support frame 42.

After positioning the riser construction apparatus 100 in a transportposition, as described above, the riser construction apparatus 10a isthen transported to a predetermined remote location for installation ona particular marine support structure. The riser construction apparatus10a is then disposed in an operating position on the marine supportstructure and the support frame 42 is secured and positioned theretosuch as by bolting or welding.

After the support frame 42 has been securedly positioned on theparticular marine support structure, the positioning assembly 38 is thenraised in a vertically, upwardly direction 160 to an assembled positionwherein the positioning assembly 38 is disposed in a predeterminedhorizontal plane above the base plate 40 of the support frame 42. In anassembled position of the positioning assembly 38, the first structuralmember 152 and the second structural member 154 of each telescopingconnector 150 are then interconnected such as, for example, by weldingor by utilizing a pin disposed through one of the apertures 156, in amanner as described above.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that after the riserconstruction apparatus 10a has been inserted and secured in an operatingposition on the particular marine support structure, that the riserconstruction apparatus 10a will then be utilized to construct the riserl2 and to guidingly position the underwater connecting end 144 thereofin an interconnecting relationship with respect to the underwaterconnecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline 18, in a manner asdescribed before with respect to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The riserconstruction apparatus 10a thus retains all of the advantages of theriser construction apparatus 10, and in addition provides a portablestructure which can be transported to various locations in an assembledposi' tion.

EMBODIMENT OF FIGS. 5 AND 6 One preferred embodiment of eachriser-section 14 having the connecting upper end 56 and the connectinglower end 58 is shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6. More particularly, theconnecting upper end 56 of a riser-section 14 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6in an interconnected relationship with respect to the connected lowerend 58 of another riser-section 14. The two riser-sections 14, shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, have been sealingly secured in an interconnectingrelationship by welding a portion of the connecting upper end 56 of oneof the riser-sections 14 to a portion of the connected lower end 58 ofthe other riser-section 14.

Although, the following description will relate particularly to the tworiser-sections 14, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is contemplated in thisembodiment of the invention that each of the riser-sections l4 utilizedto construct the riser 12, in a manner as described before with respectto FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, includes a connecting upper end 56 and a connectinglower end 58 constructed in a manner as particularly described belowwith respect to the riser-sections 14, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Asmentioned before, one of the riser-sections 14 includes the underwaterconnecting end 144, and with respect to that one riser-section 14, onlythe description of the connecting upper end 56 below is applicable, in apreferred form.

Referring more particularly to the connecting upper end 56, as shownmore clearly in FIG. 5, an uppermost end 200 thereof is beveled, therebyforming a beveled surface 202 extending about the outer periphery of theriser-section 14, generally adjacent the uppermost end 200 thereof. Agroove 204 is formed in the inner periphery of the connecting upper end56, extending a distance axially along the inner periphery thereof, andintersecting a portion of the uppermost end 200 thereof. The groove 204terminates with a beveled end 206. The beveled end 206, moreparticularly, forms an annular beveled surface 206 which extends aboutthe inner periphery of the connecting upper end 56, and is positionedtherein to matingly abut a portion of the connecting lower end 58 of anadjoining riser-section 14, in a manner which will be made more apparentbelow.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support ring 60 is formed on a portion ofthe outer periphery of the connecting upper end 56, and-extends adistance generally radially therefrom. The support ring extends aboutthe entire outer periphery of the connecting upper end 56, generallynear the uppermost end 200 thereof.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 5, a groove 208 is formed in a portion ofthe outer periphery of the connecting lower end 58, the groove 208intersecting a portion of a lowermost end 210 of the connecting lowerend 58. More particularly, the lowermost end 210 of the connecting lowerend 58 is beveled, thereby forming an annular beveled surface 212 whichextends about the outer periphery of the connecting lower end 58,generally adjacent the lowermost end 210 thereof. The beveled surface212 matingly and positioningly engages the beveled surface 206 formed inthe connecting upper end 56 of an adjoining riser-section 14, in aninterconnecting position of the two riser-sections 14, as shown in FIG.5.

The groove 208, as shown in FIG. 4, also extends a distance axiallyalong the outer periphery terminating with an annular end surface 213which intersects a portion of the outer periphery of the connectinglower end 58. The annular end surface 213 is beveled, thereby forming abeveled surface 213 extending about the outer periphery of theconnecting lower end 58. In an assembled or interconnecting position oftwo riser-sections 14, the uppermost end 200 of the connecting upper end56 engages a portion of the end surface 213 and, in this position, thebeveled surface 202 formed on the connecting upper end 56 cooperateswith the beveled surface 213 formed on the connecting lower end 58 ofthe adjoining riser-section 14 to form a V- shaped groove 214 whichextends about the outer periphery of the interconnected riser-sections14, as shown more clearly in FIG. 5. The V-shaped groove 214 provides aspace wherein weld material is disposed so that the two riser sections14 can be weldingly joined in an interconnected relationship, during theconstruction of the riser 12, as described before.

In a preferred form, and as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting upper end 56and the connecting lower end 58 of the riser-sections 14 is constructedas a separate component, and subsequently secured to a pipe-section 216to form each riser-section 14. The connecting upper end 56 and theconnecting lower end 58 will therefore be sometimes used below to referto the separate, individual components which are secured to thepipe-section 216 to form the riser-sections 14.

In this embodiment of the invention, that is where the connecting upperend 56 and the connecting lower end 58 are constructed as separate,individual components, each connecting lower end 58 includes an upperend 218 which is secured, or more particularly, welded to a lower end220 of one of the pipe-sections 216. As shown in FIG. and, in apreferred form, the upper end 218 of the connecting lower end 58 isbeveled, and the lower end 220 of the pipe-section 216 is also beveled.The beveled surfaces 218 and 220 of the connecting lower end 58 and thepipe-section 216, respectively, form a V-shaped groove 221 in aninterconnected position of the connecting lower end 58 and one of thepipe-sections 216 to facilitate the welding interconnectiontherebetween, as shown in FIG. 5. Each connecting upper end 56, in thisembodiment of the invention, includes a lower end 222 which is securedor, more particularly, welded to an upper end 224 of one of thepipe-sections 216. The lower end 222 and the upper end 224 of theconnecting upper end 56 and the pipe-section 216, respectively, arebeveled, and form a V-shaped groove 226 in an interconnected position ofthe connecting upper end 56 and one of the pipe-sections 216 tofacilitate the welding interconnection therebetween, as shown in FIG. 5.1

It should be noted that the salient reason for forming the connectinglower end 58 and the connecting upper end 56 as separate, individualcomponents, and subsequently securing each connecting end 56 and 58 tothe pipe-sections 216 is to facilitate the manufacture of theriser-sections 14. Since each connecting end 56 and 58, in a preferredform, requires a certain amount of machining to form the various beveledand tapered surfaces thereon, the forming of the connecting ends 56 and58 as a separate, individual component reduces the cost of manufactureof the constructed riser-sections 14, and with respect to ariser-section 14 having an extremely large diameter, it should be notedthat, in some instances, it may be extremely difficult to accuratelymachine the connecting ends 56 and 58 on the pipesections 216.

OPERATION OF FIGS. 5 AND 6 The connecting upper end 56 and theconnecting lower end 58, described in detail above, not only facilitatethe effecting of the interconnection between two riser-sections 14, butalso are constructed to facilitate the guiding of the connecting lowerend 58 of one of the riser-sections 14 into an adjoining and matingrelationship with respect to the connecting upper end 56 of anotherriser section 14, during the construction of the riser 12, as describedin detail above with respect to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. More particularly,utilizing the riser-sections 14, constructed as-shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,one of the riser-sections 14 is securedly and supportingly positioned inthe riser support assembly 34 such that the connecting upper end 56 ofthe riser-section 14 thus supported is disposed generally above thesupport arm assemblies of the riser support. assembly 34.

The positioning assembly 38 is then utilized to move anotherriser-section 14 to a position wherein the connecting lower end 58 ofthe riser-section 14 supported thereby is disposed in a horizontal planegenerally above the supported riser-section 14. The operator will thenactuate the positioning assembly 38 to a lowering position, therebylowering the riser-section 14 connected thereto in the directiongenerally toward the connecting upper end 56 of the supportedriser-section 14.

As the riser-section 14 is lowered by the positioning assembly 38, thebeveled surface 212 of the connecting lower end 58 will initially engagea portion of the upper-most end 200 of the connecting upper end 56 ofthe supported riser-section 14 to guide the connecting lower end 58 intoan interconnecting and mating relationship with respect to theconnecting upper end 56 of the supported riser-section 14. Moreparticularly, the connecting lower end 58 is guided into aninterconnecting and mating position wherein the surface formed by thegroove 204 of the connecting upper end 56 engagingly and slidinglyreceives the surface formed in the connecting lower end 58 by the groove208 therein. The riser-section 14 supported by the positioning assembly38 is further lowered to a position wherein the beveled surface 212formed on the connecting lower end 58 positioningly engages the beveledsurface 206 formed about the inner periphery of the connecting upper end56.

The connecting lower end 58 and the connecting upper end 56 cooperate tomaintain the riser-section 14 supported in the riser support assembly 34in an interconnecting and adjoining relationship with respect to theriser-section 14 supported by the positioning assembly 38 while theinterconnecting weld is effected by the various operating personnel, theinterconnecting and adjoining weld between the two riser-sections 14being made generally in the area between the two risersections 14 formedby the V-shaped groove 214.

EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 7

Shown in FIG. 7, is a modified embodiment of the connecting lower end58a which may be preferred in some applications. The connecting lowerend 58a is constructed similar to the connecting lower end 58, shown inFIGS. and 6, the salient difference being that a beveled surface 230 isformed about the inner periphery of the connecting lower end 58a,generally adjacent the lowermost end 210a thereof.

The beveled surface 230 extends about the inner periphery of theconnecting lower end 580 and is shaped and positioned to cooperate withthe beveled surface 206 formed about the inner periphery of theconnecting upper end 56, such that when two riser-sections 14 are placedin an interconnecting and adjoining relationship, as described before,the beveled surfaces 206 and 230 form a V-shaped groove 232, as shown inFIG. 7. The V-shaped groove 232 extends about the inner periphery of thetwo adjoining riser-sections 14, and is positioned therebetween tofacilitate an additional welding interconnection between the twoadjoining riser-sections 14 about the inner periphery thereof, generallyadjacent the interconnection therebetween.

OPERATION OF FIG. 7

The connecting upper end 56 and the connecting lower end 58a, as shownin FIG. 7, will operate similar to the connecting upper end 56 and theconnecting lower end 58, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The salientdifference resulting from utilization of the connecting lower end 58abeing that an additional interconnecting weld may be effected betweenthe two adjoining risersections 14.

This particular embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 7, may beparticularly useful when constructing a riser 12, wherein theriser-sections 14 have a relatively large inner diameter. In thisembodiment of the invention, the various riser-sections 14 arepreferably interconnectingly joined in a manner similar to thatdescribed before. The underwater connecting end 144 of the constructedriser 12 is then secured to the underwater connecting end 140 of theunderwater pipeline 18. The accumulated water in the constructed riser12 is then removed, in a manner to be described below, and a welder on asupporting platform is lowered downwardly through the constructed riser12, in such a manner that the welder can effect each additional weldinginterconnection in the area formed by the V-shaped grooves 232.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing, thatthe embodiment of the riser construction apparatus retains all of theadvantages described before with respect to the embodiment shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, and in addition, provides risersections 14 which can bemore securedly bonded or welded in an interconnecting relationship toform the completed, constructed riser 12.

EMBODIMENT or FIGS. 8 AND 9 In one form, the underwater connecting end144 of the riser 12, could be constructed substantially the same as theconnecting lower end 58, described in detail above. In that form of theinvention, the underwater connecting end 140 of the underwater pipeline18 should be constructed substantially the same as the connecting upperend 56, described in detail above, with the exception of the supportring which would not be necessary, as will be apparent to those skilledin the art. However, in a preferred form, the underwater connecting endof the underwater pipeline 18 and the underwater connecting end 144 ofthe lowermost riser-section 14 of the constructed riser 12 areconstructed in a different manner to facilitate the underwaterinterconnection therebetween. A

preferred embodiment of the underwater connecting end 140 connected tothe underwater pipeline l8 and the underwater connecting end 144connected to the constructed riser l2, and a preferred embodiment of theguide coupling assembly 142 are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 9, the underwater connecting end 140 ofthe underwater pipeline 18 and the underwater connecting end 144 of theconstructed riser 12 are each, in a preferred form, constructed as aseparate, individual component, the underwater connecting end 140 beingsecured to one end of one of the pipe-sections forming the underwaterpipeline 18 and the underwater connecting end 144 being secured to thelowermost end of the first connected or the lowermost riser-section 14.The underwater connectingend 140 is thus sometimes referred to below asthe pipeline underwater connecting end 140, and the underwaterconnecting end 144 is sometimes referred to below as the riserunderwater connecting end 144.

Referring more particularly to the underwater connecting end 140, asshown more clearly in FIG. 9, the underwater connecting end 140 has anuppermost end 300 and a lower end 302. The lower end 302 of theunderwater connecting end 140 is secured to an upper end 304 of theunderwater pipeline 18 and, in a preferred form, the lower end 302 ofthe underwater connecting end 140 and the end 304 of the underwaterpipeline 18 are each beveled such that when the underwater connectingend 140 is placed in an interconnecting relationship with respect to theunderwater pipeline 18, the beveled ends 302 and 304 form a V- shapedgroove 306 which extends about the periphery of the interconnectiontherebetween. The V-shaped groove 306 is provided to facilitate thewelding interconnection between the underwater connecting end 140 andthe underwater pipeline 18, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The underwater connecting end 144 has a beveled upper end 308 and abeveled lowermost end 310. As shown more clearly in FIG. 9, the upperend 308 of the underwater connecting end 144 is secured to a beveledlowermost end 312 of the lowermost riser-section 14 of the constructedriser 12. In an assembled position of the underwater connecting end 144,the upper end 308 thereof and the lowermost end 312 if the constructedriser 12 cooperate to provide or form a V-shaped groove 314 tofacilitate the welding interconnection between the one riser-section 14and the underwater connecting end 144.

1. Apparatus for constructing a riser from a marine support member andconnecting one end of the constructed riser to an underwater pipeline,the apparatus comprising: a predetermined number of riser-sections,interconnected to form the constructed riser, an underwater connectingend formed on one end of one riser-section connectingly engaging aportion of the underwater pipeline in one position of the constructedriser, support means formed on at least one riser-section; an underwaterconnecting end connected to one end of the underwater pipelineconnectingly engaging the underwater connecting end of the constructedriser in one position of the constructed riser; positioning meanssupported on the marine support member, a portion of the positioningmeans being removably connected to the support means formed on theriser-section, to support the constructed riser in one position of thepositioning means, the positioning means lowering the constructed riserconnected thereto in a direction generally toward the underwaterpipeline in one position of the positioning means; and guide couplingmeans removably disposed in a portion of the underwater pipelinegenerally near the end of the underwater pipeline having the underwaterconnecting end connected thereto, a portion of the guide coupling meansguidingly engaging a portion of the constructed riser generally near theunderwater connecting end thereof to guide the constructed riser to aposition wherein the underwater connecting end thereof connectinglyengages a portion of the underwater connecting end of the underwaterpipeline.
 1. Apparatus for constructing a riser from a marine supportmember and connecting one end of the constructed riser to an underwaterpipeline, the apparatus comprising: a predetermined number ofriser-sections, interconnected to form the constructed riser, anunderwater connecting end formed on one end of one riser-sectionconnectingly engaging a portion of the underwater pipeline in oneposition of the constructed riser, support means formed on at least oneriser-section; an underwater connecting end connected to one end of theunderwater pipeline connectingly engaging the underwater connecting endof the constructed riser in one position of the constructed riser;positioning means supported on the marine support member, a portion ofthe positioning means being removably connected to the support meansformed on the riser-section, to support the constructed riser in oneposition of the positioning means, the positioning means lowering theconstructed riser connected thereto in a direction generally toward theunderwater pipeline in one position of the positioning means; and guidecoupling means removably disposed in a portion of the underwaterpipeline generally near the end of the underwater pipeline having theunderwater connecting end connected thereto, a portion of the guidecoupling means guidingly engaging a portion of the constructed risergenerally near the underwater connecting end thereof to guide theconstructed riser to a position wherein the underwater connecting endthereof connectingly engages a portion of the underwater connecting endof the underwater pipeline.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further definedto include: means supported on the support member connected to a portionof the underwater pipeline to support a predetermined length of theunderwater pipeline and the underwater connecting end connected theretoin a horizontal plane generally above the floor of the body of water,thereby maintaining the movement of the underwater connecting end of theunderwater pipeline and the movement of the constructed riser relativeto the movement of the support member.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the guide coupling means is defined further to include, aportion sealingly engaging a portion of the underwater pipelinegenerally near the end thereof having the underwater connecting endconnected thereto, said portion sealingly preventing the entry of fluidinto the underwater pipeline via the end thereof having the underwaterconnecting end connected thereto.
 4. Apparatus for constructing a riserfrom a marine support member to be connected to an underwater pipeline,comprising: a predetermined number of riser-sections, each riser-sectionhaving a connecting upper end and a connecting lower end, eachconnecting upper end of some of the riser-sections interconnected to theconnecting lower end of one other riser-section, the interconnectedriser-sections forming the constructed riser, support means formed on aportion of each riser-section; riser support means supported on themarine support member to securedly position and support one of theriser-sections in one position thereof, the riser support means,including: support arm means supported on the marine support member,having a support position and a release position, a portion of thesupport arm means supportingly engaging a portion of support means ofone of the riser-sections in a support position of the support arm meansand in one position of one of the riser-sections, the support arm meanspassing the interconnected riser-sections therethrough in a releaseposition of the support arm means; and actuator means connected to thesupport arm means to position the support arm means in a supportposition and in a release position; and positioning means supported onthe marine support member, a portion of the positioning means removablyconnected to a portion of the support means of one of the riser-sectionsin one position of the positioning means, the positioning means movableto a position wherein the connecting lower end of the riser-sectionremovably connected thereto interconnectingly engages the connectingupper end of a riser-section supported in the riser support means in oneposition of the positioning means.
 5. Apparatus for constructing a riserfrom a marine support member and connecting one end of the constructedriser to an underwater pipeline, the apparatus comprising: apredetermined number of riser-sections, one riser-section having aconnecting upper end and an underwater connecting end, each otherriser-section having a connecting upper end a connecting lower end, eachconnecting upper end of some of the riser-sections interconnected to theconnecting lower end of one other riser-section, the interconnectedriser-sections forming the constructed riser, the underwater connectingend of the one riser-section being the underwater connecting end of theconstructed riser, support means formed about a portion of eachriser-section generally near the connecting upper end thereof; risersupport means supported on the marine support member to support oneriser-section therein in one position thereof, the riser support meansincluding: support arm means supported on the marine support memberhaving a support position and a release position, a portion of thesupport arm means supportingly engaging a portion of the support meansof one of the riser-sections in a support position of the support armmeans and in one position of one of the riser-sections, the support armmeans passing the interconnected riser-sections therethrough in arelease position of the support arm means; and actuator means connectedto the support arm means to position the support arm means in a supportposition and in a release position; and positioning means supported onthe marine support member, a portion of the positioning means beingremovably connected to the support means of one of the riser-sections inone position of the positioning means, the positioning means movable toa position wherein the connecting lower end of the riser-sectionremovably connected to the positioning means interconnectingly Engagesthe connecting upper end of the riser-section supported in the risersupport means in one position of the positioning means; an underwaterconnecting end connected to one end of the underwater pipeline, aportion of the underwater connecting end of the underwater pipelineinterconnectingly engaging the underwater connecting end of theconstructed riser in one position of the constructed riser and theunderwater pipeline; and guide coupling means removably disposed in aportion of the underwater pipeline generally near the end of theunderwater pipeline having the underwater connecting end connectedthereto, a portion of the guide coupling means guidingly engaging aportion of the constructed riser generally near the underwaterconnecting end thereof to guide the constructed riser to a positionwherein the underwater connecting end of the constructed riserconnectingly engages a portion of the underwater connecting end of theunderwater pipeline.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 defined further toinclude: riser lowering means supported on the marine support member, aportion of the riser lowering means removably connected to a portion ofthe support means of one of the riser-sections in one position of theriser lowering means, the riser lowering means guidingly lowering theconstructed riser in a direction generally toward the underwaterconnecting end of the underwater pipeline, to a position wherein theunderwater connecting end of the constructed riser connectingly engagesthe underwater connecting end of the underwater pipeline.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein the support means formed on theriser-sections is defined further as being a support ring formed on theouter periphery of each riser-section, generally near the connectingupper end thereof and extending generally radially therefrom, therebyforming an annular upper surface and an annular lower surface extendingcircumferentially about the outer periphery of each riser-section. 8.The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the support ring is defined further toinclude a predetermined number of position apertures formedtherethrough.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the support ring isdefined further to include a predetermined number of support aperturesformed therethrough.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the supportarm means is defined further to include: at least two support arms, eachsupport arm having a pivot end and a support end, the pivot end of eachsupport arm pivotally secured to a portion of the marine support member,the support arm of each support arm supportingly engaging a portion ofthe lower surface of the support ring of each riser-section in a supportposition of the support arm means and in one position of eachriser-section; and wherein the actuator means is defined further toinclude: at least two cylinder actuator means, each cylinder actuatormeans pivotally connected to the marine support member and having apiston arm reciprocatingly disposed therein, one end of each piston armpivotally connected to a portion of one of the support arms, eachcylinder actuator means actuable to move the support arm means connectedthereto to a support position and a release position.
 11. The apparatusof claim 10 wherein the support end of each support arm is definedfurther to include: a base having an upper surface formed thereon, theupper surface being arcuately shaped and supportingly engaging a portionof the lower surface of the support ring of each riser-section in oneposition of each riser-section; and a predetermined number of locatingpins, each locating pin secured to a portion of the upper surface of thebase and extending a distance generally perpendicularly therefrom, eachlocating pin extending through a portion of one of the positionapertures of each riser-section in one position of each riser-section,to position each riser-section in a support position of theriser-support means and in one posiTion of each riser-section.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11 defined further to include at least one locatingpin secured to the base of each support arm, and wherein the supportarms are further defined as being generally disposed on opposite sidesof the riser-section supported in the riser support means, the locatingpins being spaced approximately 180* apart, in a support position of theriser support means.
 13. The apparatus of claim 5 defined further toinclude: means to support a plurality of riser-sections in a storedposition on the marine support member, for subsequent utilization in theconstruction of the riser; and wherein the positioning means is definedfurther to include: a track means supported in a horizontal planegenerally above the riser support means and the stored riser-sections;and a crane support frame rollingly connected to the track means, thecrane support frame rollable on the track means to predeterminedpositions over the stored riser-sections and over the riser supportmeans; a crane winch means supported on a portion of the crane supportframe, having an actuated raising and an actuated lowering position; acrane cable means, having opposite ends, one end of the crane cablemeans being connected to the crane winch means; and a riser sectionconnector secured to the end of the crane cable means opposite the endthereof secured to the crane winch means; and the riser sectionconnector securedly engaging one of the supported riser-sections in oneposition thereof, the riser-section connected to the riser sectionconnector being raised in a generally vertical direction toward thetrack means in the actuated raising position of the crane winch means,the riser-section connected to the riser section connector being loweredin a generally downwardly direction toward the riser support means in anactuated lowering position of the crane winch means.
 14. The apparatusof claim 13 wherein the track means is defined further to include: alateral track means disposed in a horizontal plane generally above theriser support means and the supported riser-sections, the lateral trackmeans extending generally laterally over the riser support means and thesupported riser-sections; and a transverse track means extendinggenerally transversely with respect to the lateral track means, thetransverse track means rollingly connected to the lateral track means,the transverse track means being laterally positionable on the lateraltrack; and wherein the crane support frame is more particularlyconnected to the transverse track means, the crane support frame beingpositionable transversely on the transverse track means.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 6 wherein the riser lowering means is defined furtherto include: at least two winch means, each winch means supported on aportion of the marine support member and spaced approximately 180*apart, each winch means having an actuated raising and an actuatedlowering position; and a winch cable connected to each winch means, eachwinch cable having opposite ends, one end of each winch cable secured toone of the winch means and the end of each winch cable opposite the endthereof secured to one of the winch means removably connected to aportion of the interconnected riser-sections, the interconnectedriser-sections being lowered via the winch cables in an actuatedlowering position of each winch means, and the interconnectedriser-sections being raised by each winch cable in an actuated raisingposition of each winch means.
 16. The apparatus of claim 5 definedfurther to include: a riser section receiving means supported on themarine support member, a portion of the riser section receiving meansreceivingly and supportingly engaging a portion of one riser-section fortemporarily storing one riser-section therein
 17. The apparatus of claim5 defined further to include: a portable suppOrt frame removablyconnected to a portion of the marine support member in as assembledposition thereabove; a base plate means secured to the support frame, ariser opening formed through a portion of the base plate having adiameter larger than the largest radial diameter of any portion of anyof the riser-sections, the riser support means connected to the baseplate generally near the riser opening therethrough; and a plurality oftelescoping connectors, each telescoping connector having opposite ends,one end of each telescoping connector being connected to a portion ofthe base plate, the ends of the telescoping connectors opposite the endsthereof secured to the base plate being positionable in predeterminedhorizontal planes above the base plate to a transport position and to anassembled position; and wherein the riser positioning means is furtherdefined as being supportably connected to the end of each telescopingconnector opposite the end thereof secured to the base plate, thehorizontal disposition of the positioning means with respect to the baseplate thereby adjustable to a transport position and an assembledposition following the positioning of the telescoping connectors. 18.The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the base plate is defined further toinclude a plurality of support apertures formed therethrough, a portionof the base plate generally adjacent each support aperture supportinglyengaging a portion of the support means of one riser-section tostoringly support the riser-section in a stored position.
 19. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein the connecting upper end of eachriser-section is defined further to include an uppermost end and agroove formed in the inner periphery of each riser-section intersectinga portion of the uppermost end thereof and extending a distance axiallyalong the inner periphery thereof terminating with a beveled end, thebeveled end of the groove forming an annular beveled surface in theconnecting upper end of each riser-section; and wherein the connectinglower end of each riser-section is defined further to include alowermost end and a groove formed in the outer periphery of eachriser-section intersecting a portion of the lowermost end thereofextending a distance axially along the outer periphery thereofterminating with an annular end surface formed about the outer peripheryof the connecting lower end of each riser-section, the annular endsurface formed about the connecting lower end of each riser-sectionengaging a portion of the uppermost end of the connecting lower end ofone other riser-section in an interconnecting position of tworiser-sections, the lowermost end of the connecting lower end of eachriser-section engaging a portion of the annular beveled surface formedin the connecting lower end of one other riser-section in aninterconnecting position of two riser-sections.
 20. The apparatus ofclaim 19 wherein the support means formed about each riser-section isdefined further as being a support ring formed on the outer periphery ofthe connecting upper end portion of each riser-section generally nearthe uppermost end thereof, extending a distance radially therefrom. 21.The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the lowermost end of the connectinglower end of each riser-section is formed on a bevel, thereby providingan annular beveled surface extending about a portion of the outerperiphery of the lowermost end of each connecting lower end, the annularbeveled surface of each connecting lower end matingly and connectinglyengaging the annular beveled surface formed about the inner periphery ofthe connecting upper end of one other riser-section in aninterconnecting position of two riser-sections.
 22. The apparatus ofclaim 19 wherein the lowermost end of the connecting lower end of eachriser-section is formed on a bevel, thereby providing an annular beveledsurface extending about a portion of the outer periphery of thelowermost end of each connecting lower end, the annulAr beveled surfaceof each connecting lower end and the annular beveled surface of eachconnecting upper end forming an annular V-shaped groove in aninterconnecting position of two riser-sections to facilitate the weldinginterconnection therebetween.
 23. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein theunderwater connecting end of the one riser-section is defined further toinclude, a lowermost end and a radially outwardly tapering groove formedin the outer periphery of the underwater connecting end of the oneriser-section intersecting a portion of the lowermost end thereofthereby forming an annular tapered surface extending about the outerperiphery of the underwater connecting end of the one riser-section; andwherein the underwater connecting end connected to the underwaterpipeline is defined further to include, an uppermost end and a radiallyinwardly tapering groove formed in the inner periphery thereof,intersecting a portion of the uppermost end thereof, forming an annulartapered surface extending about a portion of the inner periphery of theunderwater connecting end connected to the underwater pipeline, theannular tapered surface of the underwater connecting end connected tothe underwater pipeline guidingly and matingly engaging the annulartapered surface of the underwater connecting end of the oneriser-section in an interconnected position of the constructed riser andthe underwater pipeline.
 24. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein theunderwater connecting end of the one riser-section is defined further toinclude, a lowermost end and a groove formed in the outer peripherythereof extending a distance axially along the outer periphery thereof,a portion of the groove tapered radially outwardly thereby forming anannular tapered surface extending about the outer periphery of theunderwater connecting end of the one riser-section, a portion of thetapered surface intersecting a portion of the outer periphery of theunderwater connecting end of the one riser-section; and wherein theunderwater connecting end connected to the underwater pipeline isdefined further to include, an uppermost end and a groove formed in theinner periphery thereof extending a distance axially along the innerperiphery thereof, a portion of the groove tapered radially outwardlythereby forming an annular tapered surface extending about the innerperiphery of the underwater connecting end connected to the underwaterpipeline, a portion of the tapered surface intersecting a portion of theuppermost end of the underwater connecting of the underwater pipeline,the surface formed by the groove and the annular tapered surface of theunderwater connecting end connected to the underwater pipeline guidinglyand matingly engaging the surface formed by the groove and the annulartapered surface, respectively, of the underwater connecting end of theone riser-section in an interconnected position of the constructed riserand the underwater pipeline.
 25. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein theunderwater connecting end connected to the underwater pipeline isdefined further to include; an annular flange formed on the outerperiphery thereof, extending generally radially therefrom and an annularraised face formed on a portion of the flange extending generallyaxially from the annular flange terminating with an uppermost end, theuppermost end of the annular raised face forming the uppermost end ofthe underwater connecting end connected to the underwater pipeline; andwherein the underwater connecting end of the one riser-section isdefined further to include, an annular flange formed on the outerperiphery thereof, extending generally radially therefrom, therebyforming an annular downwardly facing surface and an annular upwardlyfacing surface, each extending about the outer periphery of theunderwater connecting end of the one riser-section, the annulardownwardly facing surface engaging the uppermost end of the underwaterconnecting end connected to the underwater pipeline in an interConnectedposition of the constructed riser and the underwater pipeline.
 26. Theapparatus of claim 25 wherein the underwater connecting end of the oneriser-section is defined further to include: an annular slip ringdisposed about the underwater connecting end of the one riser-section, aportion of the annular slip ring slidingly engaging the upwardly facingsurface formed by the flange about the outer periphery of the underwaterconnecting end of the one riser-section, the slip ring being supportedin one direction thereby, a plurality of bolt holes being formed througha portion of the slip ring and spaced circumferentially thereabout; andwherein the flange formed about the underwater connecting end connectedto the underwater pipeline, is defined further to include a plurality ofbolt holes formed therethrough, the bolt holes spaced circumferentiallyabout the flange and positioned to align with the bolt holes formed inthe slip ring, in one position of the slip ring, for boltinginterconnection between the constructed riser and the underwaterpipeline.
 27. The apparatus of claim 26 defined further to include;flange alignment means supported generally between the underwaterconnecting end of the one riser-section and the underwater connectingend connected to the underwater pipeline to align the bolt holes of theflange of the underwater connecting end connected to the underwaterpipeline with the bolt holes through the slip ring supported on the oneriser-section.
 28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the flangealignment means is defined further to include: a pin having an upper andlower end, the pin disposed through one of the bolt holes in the slipring and one of the bolt holes of the flange of the underwaterconnecting end connected to the underwater pipeline, in one position; aclamp means connected to the pin generally adjacent the upper endthereof, the clamp means engaging a portion of the slip ring in oneposition of the clamp means to secure the pin in an assembled position,a portion of the pin extending through one of the bolt holes in the slipring and a portion of the pin generally adjacent the lower end thereofextending a distance downwardly from the slip ring in an assembledposition of the pin; and a pair of guide members, each guide memberremovably supported on a portion of the flange formed on the underwaterconnecting end connected to the underwater pipeline and extending adistance generally upwardly therefrom, each guide member having a guideside, the guide sides of the two guide members defining a guide path inan assembled position of the guide members, each guide side alternatelyand guidingly engaging a portion of the pin generally adjacent the lowerend of the pin in one position of the pin, to guide a portion of the pinthrough one of the bolt holes of the flange formed on the underwaterconnecting end connected to the underwater pipeline.
 29. The apparatusof claim 5 wherein the guide coupling means is defined further toinclude: a support base having an upper and lower end, a portion of thebase removably disposed in a portion of the underwater pipelinegenerally near the underwater connecting end connected thereto, in anassembled position of the guide coupling means; means supported on aportion of the support base to securedly position the guide couplingmeans in an assembled position in a portion of the underwater pipeline;and a cone-shaped guide having an upper end and a circular-shaped lowerend, the lower end of the cone-shaped guide connected to the upper endof the support base, the cone-shaped guide extending axially above theuppermost end of the underwater connecting end connected to theunderwater pipeline, in an assembled position of the guide couplingmeans, the outer surface of the cone-shaped guide providing a guidingsurface guidingly engaging a portion of the underwater connecting end ofthe one riser-section to guide the underwater coNnecting end of the oneriser-section into an interconnecting engagement with the underwaterconnecting end connected to the underwater pipeline.
 30. The apparatusof claim 29 wherein the means to securedly position the guide couplingmeans in the underwater pipeline is defined further to include: a jawmember pivotally secured to a portion of the support base, a portion ofthe jaw member extending radially from the support base and engaging aportion of the underwater connecting end connected to underwaterpipeline to securedly position the guide coupling means in one directionin the underwater pipeline, in one position of the jaw member; a biasspring, having opposite ends, one end of the bias spring connected to aportion of the jaw member and the end of the bias spring opposite theend thereof connected to the jaw member connected to a portion of thesupport base, the bias spring biasing the jaw member in a biasingdirection; and a plate means secured to a portion of the support base, aportion of the jaw member engaging the plate means to limit the pivotalmovement of the jaw member in a biasing direction to a position whereina portion of the jaw member engages a portion of the underwaterconnecting end connected to the underwater pipeline to position theguide coupling means in an assembled position in the underwaterpipeline.
 31. The apparatus of claim 29 further defined to include: anannular seal member, having an annular seal end and an annular taperedsurface formed thereon, a portion of the seal member opposite the sealend thereof sealingly connected to a portion of the support base, theannular seal end of the seal member slidingly engaging an adjacentportion of the inner periphery of the underwater pipeline, the annulartapered surface of the seal end engaged by fluid entering the underwaterpipeline via the underwater connecting end thereof, the fluid biasingthe seal end of the seal member into sealing engagement with theadjacent portion of the inner periphery of the underwater pipelinethereby forming a fluid seal between the guide coupling means and theunderwater pipeline, in one position of the seal member.
 32. Theapparatus of claim 31 defined further to include: a seal bias meanssupported in a portion of the support base, the seal bias means having aportion thereof biasingly engaging a portion of the annular taperedsurface of the seal member thereby biasing the seal end of the sealmember into sealing engagement with an adjacent portion of the innerperiphery of the underwater pipeline, in one position of the seal biasmeans.
 33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the seal bias means isdefined further to include: an elongated rod, having opposite ends,reciprocatingly supported in a portion of the support base; apredetermined number of flanges, each flange being connected on one endthereof to a portion of the rod generally near one end of the rod, eachflange extending a distance radially from the rod terminating with anouter end portion; an annular bias ring having a portion thereofconnected to the outer end portion of each flange, the bias ringbiasingly engaging the annular tapered surface of the seal member,thereby biasing the seal end of the seal member into sealing engagementwith the adjacent portion of the inner periphery of the underwaterpipeline, in one position of the bias ring; and a bias spring disposedabout a portion of the rod, one end of the bias spring engaging aportion of the support base, the end of the bias spring opposite the endthereof in engagement with the support base engaging a portion of theflanges thereby biasing the rod in a bias direction wherein the sealring biasingly engages the annular tapered surface of the seal member,the bias spring thereby augmenting the sealing integrity of the sealmember with respect to the inner periphery of the underwater pipeline.34. The apparatus of claim 33 defined further to include: means to movethe rod in a direction generally opposite the biasing direction and tosupport the rod in a position wherein the bias ring is disengaged fromthe seal member; and means to move the rod in a biasing direction toaugment the biasing force of the bias spring, thereby augmenting thesealing integrity between the seal member and the adjacent portion ofthe inner periphery of the underwater pipeline in one position.
 35. Theapparatus of claim 31 defined further to include: a submergable pumpmeans supported in a portion of the guide coupling means to remove fluidaccumulated in a portion of the underwater pipeline generally near theunderwater connecting end connected thereto and to remove fluidaccumulated in the riser subsequent to the constructed riser beinginterconnected to the underwater pipeline.
 36. The apparatus of claim 5defined further to include: a slip coupling means interposed in aportion of the underwater pipeline generally near the end of theunderwater pipeline having the underwater connecting end connectedthereto, a portion of the underwater pipeline between the end thereofhaving the underwater connecting end connected thereto and the slipcoupling rotatable generally about the slip coupling to facilitate thepositioning of the underwater pipeline to be interconnected to theconstructed riser.
 37. A method for connecting an underwater connectingend of a riser to an underwater connecting end of an underwaterpipeline, the connection between the riser and the underwater pipelinebeing generally below the surface of and near the floor of the body ofthe water, the method comprising: supporting the riser from the marinesupport member; supporting a portion of the underwater pipeline and theunderwater connecting end thereof from the marine support membergenerally above the floor of the body of water; and lowering the riserto a position wherein the underwater connecting end thereofinterconnectingly engages a portion of the underwater connecting end ofthe underwater pipeline.